


Birmingham

by orphan_account



Category: EastEnders
Genre: Happily Ever After series, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 12:33:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/597815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tide of relationships, like all things, has a certain ebb and flow. After the big move to Birmingham things get a bit rough. Part of my Happily Ever After universe in response to spoiler speculation surrounding Zainab's exit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birmingham

~

Christian knew the moment Syed's face paled and he dropped the books he'd been tidying that something was wrong. He hadn't seen that look since Syed had come over to tell him Amira might be pregnant. That time they'd very briefly considered running away together but Christian hadn't been able to bear the thought of tearing a father away from a child for his own selfish ends. Nor could he bear the thought of growing up watching Syed bring up a family without him. That would have been 'the most unkindest cut of all'. Now it was all different with him and Syed moving into a small terraced house in Birmingham. It wasn't as close to Amira's place as they'd like, it was on the other side of the city really, but they were so keen to move they hadn't been picky. It wasn't the nicest area of town but that meant that the rents were affordable and they'd got a two-up two-down terraced house at a reasonable rate. Syed was looking for a job. Between his sales experience and his massage certificate they were hoping something would pop up although Christian was being a lot stricter with the finances than he'd once been. It wasn't something they'd ever thought of doing, shared bank accounts and all that, but since the mess they'd left in Walford and after many long talks in Florida they'd agreed to set up a joint account when they came back. Christian never thought of himself as the type of guy to keep a man on a short leash but he was too selfish about wanting Syed around and not in jail for fraud to give him the sort of leeway to let history repeat itself. Besides, it wasn't entirely Syed's fault. Christian knew e'd let himself drift away, getting caught up in the excitement of the wedding and the organising and making everything perfect and not paying any attention to his future husband.

Now, they'd had months together and the sex was better and more regular than it had been for some time and it had brought them both closer together. Even being at the other end of the room, Christian could tell immediately that something wasn't right with Syed.

“Sy?”

“No, no, I'll come down...I can borrow Amira's car, she's got me down as a named driver in case of Yasmin...Is Kamil...” There was a long silence. “...and Dad...?” Syed waited. Christian waiting with him. He stepped closer, listening. “Hang in there. I'll be there as soon as I can. A few hours, tops. Promise.”

When Syed hung up Christian reached out a hand to his arm straight away, worried about him. “What's happened?”

“Wedding's off. Mum and Dad split up. Dad's thrown her out. I think...I mean they split up before but I thought...but...it looks final. This time. Tam's got Kamil. Dad's too angry to speak. He's given her an hour to leave.”

“That's not enough time. She can't possibly uproot her entire life in one hour! Urgh! Sy! Your family drive me nuts sometimes! How can you Dad be the nicest guy in the world sometimes and then turn around and do something like this the next minute?!”

“I know. He's always been like that, had that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thing going on. I've never understood it.”

“I guess I'd better get that spare room sort!ed out then.”

“What?”

“Well you can't possibly expect her to stay in Walford after everything?”

“Here?!”

“Sy...” Christian spoke quietly. “She's your Mum. Your Dad is her life. She's got nowhere to go.”

“I don't...I can't think...I have to call Amira.”

“Ok,” Christian nodded. That much at least made sense. Amira's fiance had put Syed down as a named driver on the insurance in case of any emergency with Yasmin. It was something between a gesture of goodwill and a flash of the cash but whatever it was Christian was silently grateful even if he also silently resented the exclusion. The man was a bit up himself but Amira could have done worse and the man's heart was in the right place.

 

It seemed like a long road down, to Syed. He knew Christian was nervous. Taking his Mum in under their roof, it wasn't something either of them had experienced before. Zainab Masood might accept that her son was gay but she'd never spent a night under the same roof and her son and his husband in the double-bed next door. She was going to have to deal with it. Syed had no idea what was going on here or how long it would take to work things out but he wasn't about to put his life on hold on his mother's account. He'd done that for long enough. Syed didn't mean to be insensitive but Syed knew that he and Christian couldn't tiptoe around it. They had a very active sex life, especially since leaving Walford and Syed didn't think they'd ever been closer. He looked forward to going to bed early and the time they spent together there and he didn't want to give that up for the sake of his mother's sensibilities.

All thoughts of what was going to happen when they reached Birmingham left Syed when he got to Walford. Amira had been very accommodating with the car. With her own mother dead Zainab had a special place in Amira's heart. There was hurt there because of Zainab's lies and neither could pretend otherwise but without a mother of her own, Amira still looked to Zainab in spite of the hurt and she'd let Syed borrow the car to fetch her with worry about Zainab's state of mind after everything she'd been through these last two years with the divorce and Yusuf and the split and facing her own prejudices and now another break-up.

When Syed finally pulled up in the square it was evident that Christian had called Roxy. Number Forty Three was quiet. Syed called Tamwar and he told her Mum was gone and Roxy had turned up. Tam came out briefly and Syed had a word with him and held Kamil for a while, talking to him calmly until Syed sent them both back inside before Masood came out. Syed didn't want to see his father. He was too angry right now. If Tamwar was willing to keep him out of the way for the moment Syed was very grateful, even if it did mean being deprived of his own brothers' company.

A text came through. Hours late, it appeared. Christian telling him he'd called Roxy and they were at hers with Amy. Syed rolled his eyes. Phones.

He headed to Roxy's though and his mother was there. Tears. A few suitcases. Syed thanked Roxy. There was still an awkwardness between them. Maybe there always would be. She wasn't as quick to forgive him as Christian but then Roxy didn't love him like Christian did and she loved Christian a whole lot. Still, she'd done this for him or for Christian or maybe for both and Syed was grateful and thanked her and kissed Amy as he packed the bags into the car and they headed up north.

Masood hadn't been in sight. Syed wasn't sorry.

 

His mother was a mess. There was no two ways about it. The ride up was quiet. It was getting late now. They stopped at a service station for some sandwiches and Syed called Christian who was getting worried by the long absence. Not long after they pulled up in their street. Amira was waiting. She'd got a taxi across town to be there. Christian was there. A bear hug and a kiss for Syed, worry exuding from his every pore and he looked at Syed carefully. 

“No fights, I promise. Just a long road down and a long road up. Thank Roxy for me, won't you?”

Christian nodded. “Come on, lets get you inside.”

Syed guided his mother by her elbow up the stairs. She looked pale and drawn. The spare room looked amazing. Christian had lit some incense, brought in the fake flowers from the living room, put in the electronic photo frame that usually had their own happy photos in it and filled it with pictures of Syed and Christian and Tamwar and Kamil and pictures from Shabnam's facebook albums of Pakistan. There was a clean towel, flannel and hand towel and the boxes they'd yet to unpack were gone, replaced with Syed's Koran and the spare prayer mat Syed had bought when he briefly couldn't find his after unpacking everything from storage.

Amira, recognising the time wasn't right excused herself and took the car back across town.

Zainab still hadn't said much, which worried Syed. She thanked them for the room and complimented Christian on the housekeeping. Syed noted the dig that a more spirited mother would have made about his own lack of domesticity that never came his way. It made his heart fall slightly that she was that low. She accepted a cup of tea and a hot meal but she didn't eat much and retired early.

Syed and Christian weren't far behind and when they had sex that night it was rough and heavy. Syed on his back, legs on Christian's shoulder and Christian powering into Syed, his entire muscled body at work and his eyes watching Syed intently. Syed begged for it harder, faster. Christian lowered his weight, propping himself up by only his elbows, arms under Syed's back gripping at the back of Syed's shoulders hard enough to leave marks. Christian upped the pace, the bedsprings squeaked and his head fell as he worked, sweat pouring off his body. He buried his head in the crook of Syed's neck and love poured out of him for this man. Chest hair tickling Syed's nipples. Syed's fingers tore at Christian's back, his teeth sank into the revealed thick neck muscle where it joined Christian's shoulder.

“Sy...I'm gonna...”

“...no...”

“Come with me,” Christian gasped. 

“Can't...”

“Please, Sy...fuck...”

Head pressed against Syed's, Christian came with a muffled roar that was half lost in the pillow, filling Syed with his seed. Tired, exhausted, spent, Christian eased off and pulled out. Syed's hand was already going to his penis and Christian watched Syed work himself and eased a finger inside to massage his prostate. 

Syed came all over him, adding cum to the mess of sweat and lube coating their bodies and Christian had absolutely no problem with that. Syed would feel that session in the morning but there wasn't a mark on his body. Christian was riddled and he knew it. Bruises, bites, scratch-marks, cum and he loved every minute of it. Loved being possessed. Wanted. Loved. Cared for. When Syed needed him this badly Syed wasn't going somewhere else and Christian was absolutely A-OK with that. He smiled as the endorphins flushed through his body and he collapsed onto Syed and felt Syed giggle. 

Syed wound an arm round Christian's neck. Laughing.

“Stop it,” Christian urged. “Shhh....”

Syed just laughed, he couldn't help it and soon Christian was laughing too, joining in muffled giggling like a pair of naughty schoolboys.

Syed canoodled with his husband. He liked it a little bit rough. It usually required a bit of talking Christian around but the end result was always worth it. Syed groaned as he stretched his legs out.

“You ok?”

Syed burrowed under the covers and 'mmmm'd happily. Shifting against Christian, Syed kissed is husband goodnight and told him he loved him. “Bags the first shower in the morning.”

“Only if you put cream on my back.”

“Sorry...”

“Sorry not sorry, you mean.”

“Maybe,” Syed smirked.

Christian smiled. Syed wasn't the only one who was sore. His back stung and Syed had bitten him nearly hard enough to break skin but he hadn't been as happy as this in a long time and he couldn't believe they'd done what they'd just done with Syed's mother next door. Christian knew they'd absolutely failed to be quiet but as much as he wanted to support Zainab and get along with her he also knew Syed was right. This was their house and their life and they had to live it for them.

In the neighbouring room Zainab lay her head on the pillow as the bedsprings stopped squeaking and curled up on her side. She'd never felt so alone. Christian had gone to an effort, making the bed, putting out clean linen and towels, air freshner and flowers and nice things to make the place welcoming. She watched the photo frame of her family shift into Kamil and then into Tamwar and then into Christian and Syed and Yasmin. Things with Masood were over. As over as they'd ever been. More over even than they had been when Masood had divorced her to let her go with Yusuf and here she was now in her gay son's spare room. For so long she'd thought it would be Syed and his wife in _her_ spare room with a whole pile of grandkids, but life didn't always go the way you planned. It was a whole new world now and Zainab wasn't sure that she liked it.

 

In the morning Christian got the first shower while Syed had his 'five minutes more'. Then he turfed Syed out of the bed and stripped it while Syed showered. Syed had tried to apologise but Christian had just kissed him until he shut up. He loved Syed's wild side and he wouldn't have his tiger any other way. 

Christian opened his set of drawers and looked for his long-sleeved exercise top. He couldn't find the one he wanted and realised he must have left it in the laundry pile. In his tracksuit bottoms and carrying an armful of bedlinen, Christian trailed down the stairs to the living room and through to the kitchen. He put the sheets in the machine and soap in the drawer ready to put it on as soon as the showers were finished. Behind him he didn't notice Zainab step into the living room from the front hall. 

Zainab had heard them get up and wanted to be a good guest, not putting them to any trouble. She knew Christian was working and wanted to be a help not a hindrance. She needed something to do but as Zainab stepped into the living room she caught a glimpse of a bare, tanned back through the doorway into the kitchen and couldn't help the gasp the escaped as her hand went to her mouth. Long red welts criss-crossed Christian's back. Love-bites and bruises and teeth marks.

“Allah have mercy!”

Christian spun around. “Hey!” He smiled warmly. “Sleep well?”

It was only at Zainab's protracted, silent staring that Christian looked down at himself and realised she could see everything. Every mark. Every welt.

“What has he done to you?” Zainab gasped.

“Erm...sorry, Zainab. I didn't realise you were up yet. Let me just get a t-shirt, yeah?”

“Christian...” Zainab stepped over to him and like the mother she was, traced every one of his wounds with untouching hands. “Is he...is Syed...Did you fight?”

Christian's hand massaged his brow. Of course with Zainab's history of domestic violence at the hands of her first husband, he should have realised what this might have looked like. “Not exactly.”

“Then...last night...?”

“I'm sorry if we disturbed you but you won't find a mark on him, I swear,” Christian promised.

“My son did that?” 

Christian stayed silent and watched Zainab watch him. 

Eventually she withdrew and nodded. “You should put some cream on that,” She offered. “Do you have a first aid kit?”

“In the kitchen. Zainab, it'll be fine. We just got a bit adventurous, that's all.”

Zainab blushed furiously but she rooted around in the kitchen until she found the first aid kit and made Christian sit down. 

“Sy can do this,” He protested but Zainab went into mother-hen mode and for Syed's sake he complied.

Zainab's hands were gentle, her touch soft. She pressed an arnica tablet into his hand for the bruises and rubbed creams into his scratches. “I think you should get these bites looked at.”

“Zainab, they're fine.”

“Bites get infected.”

“He didn't break the skin,” Christian dismissed her concerns.

“Christian...” Zainab sighed. She didn't like to think of them having trouble and she knew Christian thought it was harmless but she'd never seen anyone with wounds like this after a night in bed with their spouse. “I know he's my son and I love him but you shouldn't let him hurt you like this.”

“I really don't think that's any of your concern.”

“I'm his mother.”

“And I appreciate that but I'm not about to start sharing our sex life with you.”

Zainab looked unconvinced but she was finished with the antiseptic cream and kept her silence as Christian spun around in his seat and pulled his top on.

“Ok. Fine. Its none of my business. I'm just saying, I didn't raise the sort of son who...who...” Zainab raised a hand towards Christian, “Does this to someone they love.”

“No, you raised the sort of son who was sexually repressed, who lived every day in fear of being cast out by the only family he'd ever known and who didn't feel like he was entitled to marry for love.”

“I did what I thought was best.”

Zainab was near tears and seeing this Christian's heart softened. He was so used to being on the defence with Zainab he'd forgotten how vulnerable she was at the moment.

“Zainab...” Christian softened. “Don't make this more than it is. He's not beating me up, its not abusive. Syed is the most loving man I know, in his heart, but he's not always that great at showing it. He would stop in a moment if I asked him to but I like knowing that he needs me this much. That he loves me this much...that I'm his. So don't go away thinking this is some sort of domestic violence thing, alright? Because its not. I've never had the sort of security in my life I get from being with Sy. If, every once in a while, he gets a bit wild on me I'm not about to start complaining because it means he's in my life and he wants me and he loves me,” Christian smiled warmly. “And if you heard anything you didn't want to hear I'm sorry. Really.”

“In that case,” Zainab said finally, “You should have been quieter last night.”

Christian bit his lip. “I thought...we weren't that bad, were we?”

What is it Tamwar says? Oh yes – 'epic fail'.”

Christian blushed furiously. His head fell, the bit his lip and his shoulders shook in silent laughter.

When Zainab didn't say anything further Christian took her hand and squeezed it as he finally stood up, marking the drawing to a close of that particular conversation. “Put on the kettle, shall I?”

Zainab smiled gratefully and fell quiet. When Syed came in, walking stiffly and eased himself carefully into a kitchen chair, Zainab had a lot of trouble meeting her son's eye.

“What? Mum, are you ok? Has Christian been telling you stories or something?”

Zainab smiled and patted her son's hand. “Everything's fine.”

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“Like a baby.”

And so they went about breakfast and they chatted about this and that and then Christian had to go and leave for work and the few meagre clients he'd worked up and the hours pimping himself though flyers and charm and talking to gyms, trying to make a name for himself, trying to build a career, trying to provide for his family and before he left, when he was all ready and dressed and his bag was packed Zainab hung back in the living room and watched as Syed grabbed Christian's top, backed him into he wall and kissed him like there was no tomorrow.

“Come home to me,” Syed begged.

Christian sighed softly and ran his fingers through Syed's hair. Syed's hand shifted against Christian's back and Christian twitched.

“Sorry.”

“They're just scratches, they'll heal. You ok?”

“A bit sore. It'll pass. I thought I might take Mum to see Yasmin.”

“She'll like that. Sy...if she says anything...”

“About what?”

“She heard us.”

“Oh.” Syed wasn't entirely surprised. He wasn't expecting things to get as frantic as they'd gotten but it had just been one of those nights where they'd needed each other and it was, after all, their house.

“She saw my back.”

“What?!”

“Its fine.”

“Christian...!”

“Its fine,” Christian insisted. "Be patient with her, Sy. She's still getting used to this and I think she might have some questions, that's all. She's just worried about you and she's just had the love of her life and two son, ripped from her life. Give her something to worry over, it will distract her.

“I guess I was hoping Yasmin might do that.”

Christian shrugged, grinned. “Might. Might also involve some detailed and curious questioning about our sex life.”

“Don't tease me!”

“Who said I was teasing?” Christian giggled. “I have to go to work.”

“Clarkie!”

Christian grinned and pecked Syed on the lips and danced out the door with a flutter of his fingers in goodbye. “Love you!” He shouted up the garden path.

Syed shook his head, grinning. “Love you, too,” Syed told Christian's echo as he closed the front door. Still smiling he turned around to see his mother's shadow slide deeper into the living room. Syed took a brave step forwards. “Mum? Do you have a minute? I was hoping we could talk...?”

~


End file.
